What happened
On April 12, 1992, an EMB 710C, registration PT-NTJ, departed from Santo Antônio do Leverger, Mato Grosso, bound for Fazenda Santa Abadia. The flight was expected to last approximately 30 minutes. During the descent at 1,800 feet, the engine began to fail and subsequently stopped. The pilot attempted an in-flight restart, but the effort was unsuccessful.
The pilot performed a forced landing in a flooded area of the Pantanal region. Upon impact with the saturated terrain, the aircraft flipped onto its back and became semi-submerged in the water. The pilot managed to escape the cockpit by breaking a side window, but the passenger, a 66-year-old individual, remained trapped by their seatbelts and died of drowning.
The investigation
CENIPA investigators examined the engine and its components, including the fuel system, ignition, and internal mechanics. Post-accident analysis of the engine revealed that all systems and connections were functioning normally, and no metal debris was found within the engine. The investigation also looked into the aircraft's maintenance history, noting that the aircraft had undergone a major inspection and had been washed and polished shortly before the flight.
Findings
- The engine failure was caused by a malfunction of an unidentified component or system that directly interfered with normal engine performance.
- The aircraft's recent cleaning and polishing services may have led to water accumulation in the fuel tanks due to the low-wing design of the aircraft.
- While environmental conditions did not cause the engine failure, the flooded terrain was a decisive factor in the severity of the accident, as it caused the aircraft to capsize.
- The passenger's inability to escape was linked to being restrained by seatbelts and the physical difficulty of exiting the submerged aircraft due to age and the position of the aircraft.
Safety action
- Maintenance organizations should be instructed to ensure thorough fuel tank drainage before the first flight of the day.
- Pilots should receive training regarding approach and landing techniques on irregular, unprepared, or flooded surfaces.